What if
by Hobbit
Summary: Rated PG for death themes in the last chapter finished. Well, for those of you who really liked this fic, there's a preview for the sequel up in the Chapter 6 Author's Note
1. The Sting

All right...This is a complete fic, though not all of it is being posted...there are 5 parts...If there's anything I should change, let me know and I'll consider it...  
  
in the perpetual/eternal words of readers everywhere...  
  
GET ON WITH THE STORY ALREADY!!!  
  
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Ash Ketchum looked over at Misty and Brock sleeping. He sighed. There was something missing, he didn't know what, but something felt like he didn't belong here. It had bothered him all his life. Pikachu rested against him and sighed contentedly. It was how long? five years? Five years that he had been on the road, five years with Misty, just slightly less than that with Brock. He sighed.  
  
Togepi got up, stretched, and waddled over to him. He sighed and helped the little Pokemon onto his lap. He stared up at the stars. It must have been sometime around midnight, and here he was, looking up at the stars. There was one constellation in particular that he liked, and he was probably the only one on the planet that had a favorite star. Oak always looked at him strangely when he pointed it out on a star map.  
  
Misty stirred, but did not wake up. She moved her arm, and, in doing so, some of her hair fell across her face. He suddenly had a strong urge to get up and brush that hair away from her face. He thought about how he had gotten to know Misty. Yup, Misty. Annoying, insulting, and the love of his life. That was Misty. He sighed, thinking about how many times he had longed to pick her up and hold her in his arms, how many times he had wanted to tell her exactly how he felt, and how exactly he liked it whenever she slapped him, just for the joy of having physical contact.  
  
Ash sighed. There was no way on earth that Misty could feel the same way about him. She was always insulting him. Always putting him down, always doing her best to hurt him emotionally. He carefully put Togepi down and crept over to where Misty lay, sleeping on the hard ground in her sleeping bag. He tucked the stray hairs behind her ear and, ever so gently, alert for any sign that she was awake, he moved his lips and kissed her lightly on the head. He scooted back as quickly and quietly as he could. his moving had caused Pikachu to wake up, and Ash lay down, his head on Pikachu, facing Misty. The last word that he said before he fell asleep were, "I love you Misty."  
  
Misty woke up, having the feeling that she had just missed something very important. She looked over at Ash just in time to see him mouth the word, "Misty." Suddenly, she wished that she had woken up earlier. Pikachu, who Ash had rested his head on, looked at her. Was that her imagination, or was that a smirk on the electric rat's face? She sighed and glanced at the fire. It was getting low. She got up, and, determined to walk right by Ash. She stopped, looking at him, just lying there. She knelt down and placed her lips against hers, and kissed him. He gave a sigh and relaxed. She pulled away and went to get firewood.  
  
She sighed. She liked Ash. She loved Ash. She always felt herself go woozy at the very sound of his name or his voice. But he always acted like a jerk. suddenly, she heard a rustling behind her, she screamed and whirled around, stick at the ready.  
  
Ash was dreaming, in the dream, he was telling Misty how he felt about her. She looked at him and kissed him. Suddenly, it seemed like it wasn't only in the dream, but in real life that he could feel her lips touching his. He sighed and leaned back in his dream. Everything was going right. He had beaten Gary, and become the ultimate Pokemon Master. Misty liked him, and Brock had a girlfriend, plus, Professor Oak was engaged to his mother. Nothing could be better. Then, as Misty was leaning in towards him again, without opening her mouth she screamed.  
  
Ash woke up with a start and stumbled to his feet. There it was again, Misty screaming from inside the woods. He stumbled forward, still sleepy. He licked his lips, suddenly, there was a taste that he couldn't figure out how it got there. But it reminded him of Misty for some reason. He stumbled forward, towards where Misty's scream had come from. Suddenly, there she was, waving a stick back and forth against two Beedrills. Ash Picked up a rock and threw it against one of the Beedrills. It turned and flew against him. He picked up a stick and fended it off rather well. Suddenly he heard another scream from Misty. The other Beedrill was charging her. He acted instinctively. He threw the stick like a spear at the Beedrill he was defending himself from, and, picking up a large rock, heaved it at the charging Beedrill. It stopped, and dropped, not two feet from Misty, unconscious. Suddenly, Misty screamed again. The other Beedrill was coming for him, and he couldn't defend himself. THe two poisonous stingers stabbed into his chest, lifting himself off of his feet and throwing him against a tree. Suddenly, he saw lightning hit the Beedrill, and it flew into a tree itself, and fell to the ground, dead.  
  
Ash turned his head and saw Misty staring at him, a shocked expression on her face. He looked at his chest, and saw the blood gushing from it. He took a step towards Misty. "Misty...Misty I-" he never finished the sentence. He fell down, breathing shallowly.  
  
Brock came running up in time to see the Beedrill's final attack, and Ash falling onto the ground. "Misty!" he called, "Hurry back to camp and get some antidotes! hurry!"  
  
Misty stared in shock at Ash, but Brock brought her back to reality. Misty ran back to camp and grabbed her antidotes from her backpack, and ran back, crying all the way. Brock looked serious as he took the antidotes from her and carefully applied them to Ash's wounds. He pulled a Super Potion from his belt and applied that to Ash's wound too.  
  
Misty was hysterical after he had applied the antidotes and super potion. "IS he going to be okay? Please tell me that he is! PLEASE PLEASE!"  
  
Brock looked at her with a worried expression on his face. "Misty, listen to me! go back to camp and boil five pots of water and bring them to me!" Misty bit her lip and nodded, looking at Ash worriedly, his face devoid of color. She ran back to camp. Brock muttered to himself, "Rule number one during an emergency, keep calm. No matter what, do not panic."  
  
Misty threw a stick onto the fire, and put her head onto her knees, and she cried. What if Ash died? What if She never got to tell him how hse felt about him. She looked into the trees and the thought hit her again, this time sinking in fully. She fell down onto her stomach and cried. Suddenly, she heard footsteps passing by, then, they stopped. They came into camp. Misty rolled over, tears flowing from her eyes freely. There he was. Gary.  
  
Gary walked past the camp, whistling, and would't have given it a second thought, except that he saw someone crying. Plus he had heard screams earlier. He looked at the camp, then saw that the sleeping bags were empty. All of them. He walked cautiously into camp. He saw a girl on her stomach with bright red hair. She rolled over and faced him. She had been crying. Suddenly, like a lightning bolt, he realized who it was. Misty. He ran over to her and knelt down next to her. "Misty, What's wrong?" he asked.  
  
Misty cried, but managed, "Beedrills, attacked." she choked up and managed to clear her throat long enough to talk, "Me, I was out gathering firewood. I'm terrified of bug Pokemon, so I was really scared. Suddenly, Ash was there, and he managed to distract one of the beedrills. Suddenly, the other beedrill charged me. I thought that I was going to die. Ash threw a rock at it, and the other one attacked him. He's in bad shape."  
  
Gary's eyes grew wide, and they were damp, "Where is he?" he choked out. Misty pointed the way, and he ran into the woods. He came to a stop when he saw the Beedrills. They were big. very big. Then he saw Brock and rushed over to him. "How's he doing?" he asked.  
  
Brock looked up at him seriously. "Gary, I'm going to lay it on the line with you. I didn't want to with Misty because she would panic a lot more than she is right now! Unless he gets medical attention in the next two hours, he will die four hours after that."  
  
Gary looked Brock in the eyes and said, "I'll get what help I can."  
  
Misty kept her head down on her knees, and Togepi pushed at her elbow. She picked him up and looked at him. "I never got to tell him." she said, "I never told him how I felt aout him. never. And now he'll die thinking that I hated him all this time!" Togepi hugged her as best that she could, and Pikachu nosed his way so that his head was on her lap. Through her tears, she managed to get out, "What am I? a Pokemon cheer up machine?" she smiled at Pikachu so the he would know that she didn't mean it. Pikachu seemed to cheer up a little with that.  
  
Suddenly, she heard a Pokemon come out of its Pokeball. She looked up to see Gary, looking at her with pitying eyes. "I'll be back soon," he said, "Try to get some sleep."  
  
In the woods, Brock felt Ash's pulse start to race, and suddenly, Brock was afraid. What if his estimates were wrong? what if it was already too late. What if Ash died? Who would give him tips on getting girls then? What if...  
  
Misty stroked at Pikachu absently, while she stared at the flickering flames of the fire. What if Ash died and she never told him how she felt? What if he stayed in a coma all of his life? What if she died of grief, but he pulled out of it? What if...  
  
Gary urged his Pokemon on faster. He pulled out his cell phone and called the hospital, and told them the situation. He then called Professor Oak, and filed him in, and said that he would call Ash's mom. His mind raced iwht possibilites for what might happen. What if Ash died? How could he apologize for what he had said? What if he couldn't tell him that he just wanted Ash back, and that he would sacrifice becoming the ultimate Pokemon Master for him.If only he stayed alive? What if...  
  
Ash Ketchum relived those last moments over again, seeing the Beedrill stab him, feeling the stingers, and the tree bite into his back. What if he died? What if he couldn't see Gary one last time? What if He couldn't see Brock one last time? What if He never got to tell Misty how he felt, what if he never got to kiss her? What if...  
  
MISTY! the thought exploded into his head, and he jerked his eyes open. There was Brock. Sitting there staring at him. His eyes widened as he saw Ash wake up. Ash felt an unbearable pain in his chest and he screamed!  
  
Misty dropped Togepi as she heard Ash scream. He had screamed louder before, but she could tell that he was screaming as loud as he could right then. She, Togepi and Pikachu ran into the forest towards Ash. What if he was awake and he was dying right now? What if, what if, what if...  
  
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Like it? Let me know what you think...I worked really hard on this fic... 


	2. A Race Against Time

thanks to everyone who reviewed...all three of you! please, ifyou read this, tell me what you think.  
  
Blue Flamed Cheetah-I AM continuing the story...^__^  
  
clara2000-hope it wasn't too emotional...  
  
mspilot21, I'd say I was amazed.  
  
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Misty burst through the trees and came upon Ash. There he was, just as she had left him, with the great big bandage wrapped around his chest. Togepi came up next to her and started crying after it saw how Ash looked. Pikachu went over to his master solemnly and maneuvered himself between his owner, and his owner's arm. Misty knelt down in front of Ash, and rustled his black hair. "Listen to me, Ash. This is going to be like old times, and you're gonna pull out of it very soon! then, when you're well enough, I'll think of some way to reward you."  
  
Ash smiled weakly and said in a voice that was barely a whisper, "Misty...I need...*cough* to tell...you some...thing. I...I-I-" whatever he was going to say wouldn't happen, since Ash went unconscious just then.  
  
Misty stared at Ash in shock, then backed away, her lower lip quivering. She glanced at Brock,who stared at Ash numbly. Brock checked Ash's pulse. He loked up at her and said, "His heart rate is going down. I thought that he would outlast all of us." Brock checked Ash's pulse again, then again. "I have no pulse" he trailed off, then, not wanting to burst out agin into hysterics, he looked at Pikachu. "Pikachu! If you want to save your master, then the time is now! Here is what you do..."  
  
Half an hour later, The helicopter from the hospital touched down. And Misty ran out to meet it. "He's through here!" She shouted over the noise of the helicopter blades, "And hurry!"  
  
Gary looked over at Pikachu and gave him the thumbs up signal. Ash's heart was beating again, thanks to Pikachu's electric cheecks, and breathing, thanks to Brock. Suddenly, they heard someone crashing through the trees, and Misty burst through the underbrush, followed by seven white-clad emergency workers. One immediately clamped an oxygen mak over Ash's face, while the others went to work on Ash. The leader asked Brockwhat happened, "Well, he was stung by a Beedrill, both stingers, and was thrown by them up against this tree. I gave him three antidotes and a super potion that we bought from the last town's Pokemon Mart. He stopped breathing and his heart stopped pumping shortly after, but with me and Pikachu here, we were able to keep him alive."  
  
One of the EMT's radios squawked, and he talked into it, then listened. He shouted to the lead EMT, "The chopper says that there's a clearing two hundred yards from where we are now!"  
  
"Then tell him to meet us there!"  
  
Gary pulled at the leader's sleeve, "Sir! Is there room in the chopper for a passenger?" he asked.  
  
The EMT looked at him and said, "Yeah, but you better hurry!" They heard the choper pass overhead and they strapped Ash onto a stretcher and ran for the clearing.  
  
Gary, Brock,and Misty followed, running as fast as they could. "GO GO GO GO GO!" shouted the EMT, as the other EMTs piled in, and put Ash in the chopper. He came over to Gary, "Son, if you're going, the time is now!"  
  
Gary looked over at him and shouted, "I'm not going! She is!" he pointed over at Misty.   
  
Misty looked at him in shock for an instant, then picked up Pikachu and Togepi and gave Gary a hug. The EMT pulled her away and into the chopper. It started lifting off as soon as Misty was all the way in.  
  
Gary stepped back and threw up an arm over his eyes, blocking the sand tha tried to get into his eyes. Agry looked up at the quickly receding helicopter until it was out of view, then turned to Brock, "Hey man, listen, pack up the camp, I'll help you! Then my Espeon will teleport us to the hospital, along with our stuff."  
  
Misty looked out the window numbly, then forced herself to look at Ash, and she felt terrible. If he didn't pull out of it, what would she do? She wouldn't want to go on with Brock. Ash was like the glue that had kept their group together, and without him, it seemed like there was no reason toeven continue her Pokemon journey.  
  
one of the EMTs saw her looking at Ash and said, "He your boyfriend?"  
  
Misty blushed and diverted her gaze from Ash to the EMT, and replied, "Um, no...but I was hoping that he wanted the job. Sometimes he's so dense that I'm not sure that I like him any more, but I never think that more than a day, if that.I love him, if that's what you mean."  
  
The chopper pilot said, "That adrenalin should kick in anytime now, so cross your fingers and pray. I'm pushing this chopper to the limits, and I don't know how long it'll last. Luckily, we don't have to go all the wayto Celadon Hospital, since there's no hospital really that we would trust for htis stuff in Viridian, but in Pewter, they have a poison control center, so we're in luck."  
  
Ash had been unconscious, but he pulled out of it long enough to hear the EMT's question to Misty, and Misty's answer. His blood ran cold. Misty loved him? How was that possible? She was always putting him down, always hitting him with that stupid mallet of hers. The voices had brought consciousness, the thinking had brought pain, and pain not only in his chest, but in his head. Excruciating pain. He screamed, and the echo of that scream rang around in the Helicopter, and it could be heard loudly over the helicopter's blades. "My head," he moaned, "My head hurts, right in the back."  
  
Ash saw the EMT stiffen, and turn to the pilot quickly and shout out, "CAN YOU MAKE THIS BUCKET OF BOLTS GO ANY FASTER? HE HAS A LARGER DOSE OF POISON THAN I THOUGHT!!!!"  
  
The pillot, not taking his eyers off his instruments and the terrain ahead said, "Listen, I'm close to redlining it now, I've never pushed it any further, so I don't know. It could go maybe ten miles an hour more, maybe fifteen. But that's it."  
  
The first EMT shot back, "Red line it to the max or we'll lose him, now go as fast as this bucket of bolts can possibly go! Let the mechanics worry about the loose parts!" The pilot nodded, and Ash felt the stretcher start to roll back as the whirlybird accelerated, but an EMT caught it, and pushed it back into place.  
  
Misty looked over the EMT's shoulder and saw the pulse speeding up, breathing rate slowing down. The EMT frowned, balled his fist and punched the monitor, but then looked at Ash, his breathing was indeed going down, and at an alarming rate. THe EMT took Ash's pulse, then dialed back the adrenalin rate.  
  
Ash forced his eyes open, and his eyes and opened his mouth to say those four words that he had wanted to say for quite a while (Misty, I love you), but then, before he could say a word, he went into convulsions, and green and red splotches appeared in his vision. Then, mercifully, everything went back and he could feel nothing, as he slipped back into unconsciousness.  
  
Misty watched as he went unconscious, and the convulsions, but they still continued but was slightly less violent. What if he died, what had he tried to say those two times? Would she ever know? What would happen if she never got to tell him how she felt.  
  
The EMT felt the helicopter settling down, but by the time that it was three feet off the ground, he had kicked the door and his entire team, save one person and the girl were on the ground. as soon as the helicopter touched the ground, the stretcher was being lifted through the doorway. As soon as it was on the ground, the lead EMT grabbed the kid's Pokeballs, and handed them to the girl. "Here, take these, the name is Ron Stevens, no time to chat. Don't worry, I'll check up on him. He'll have the finest care. He'll be fine...don't worry."  
  
Despite what he had said, Ron had very large and nagging doubts as to the boy's well being and future, mostly his future though, or probable lack of one. What if the kid passed away. What would happen to his Pokemon. What would happen to one of Kanto's most respected Pokemon Masters? What if...  
  
Misty was crying, she wasn't trying to hide it. She was off in a corner of the poison center's main waiting room. She had her knees pulled up to her face with her arms wrapped around them and was sobbing into them uncontrollably. Pikachu sagged limply against her, as if not believing what was going on. Ash's other Pokemon were all around her, and Togepi was trying to comfort her, and hugged her as much as its little arms could manage. The same nagging thoughts were going through her mind over and over...What would happen if Ash died? How would she be able to have that wedding that she had planned out to perfection, or how could they find just the right house in the perfect little city? What if she never got to do those things, what if all the other things that she had been planning to do with Ash, hiking through the mountains seperating Pewter City and Cerulean City instead of going underneath them through Mount Moon, Going on rides through the waves on her water Pokemon in the moonlight, What if, what if what if...  
  
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What is going to happen to Ash? Will he pull out of it? What will happen to the gang if he doesn't? There has to be SOME cure, right? Find out next time on Digimon, Digital Mon-no, wait, wrong epilogue...:) 


	3. The Hospital

All right...this is where it starts to get a little darker...:) Read and Review...:)  
  
***  
  
Brock looked up at Gary, "That's it for Ash's stuff, I'll get Misty's stuff, and my stuff is already packed, then we can go. But I have a question for you. Ash has told me about before he and you became rivals, and that you were really good friends. Now, I've noticed, you just treat him like dirt! Why is that?"  
  
Gary sighed and leaned back against Ash's backpack, "Well, you see, my mom has always told me that I have an overgrown ego, and that it could get me into trouble someday. I guess that day is today. Okay, just listen to my story. Ash and I kidded each other about who was going to be the Ultimate Pokemon Master someday, at least he kidded me, I always took it seriously. Then, he began to get Gramp's attention more and more, and I became jealous, and I began distancing myself from Ash. Then, we got our Pokemon, and, well, you know the rest. I became a celebrity, and rubbed it in to Ash. Then people got tired of me, and I was back to his status, and he was elevated to my previous status. Well, I guess the rest is history. I came by to look for Ash, to apologize to him for being such a pain in the rear, and ask if he would forgive me." Gary looked up at Brock, who had finished packing Misty's things, "Does that make it any clearer?"  
  
Brock looked up at him, "Yeah, I understand, but I think that you have a serious ego and/or pride problem. But I will try and help you apologize to him. Well, let's go."  
  
Brock looked around Pewter City after he and Gary had teleported both of them and their luggage there. This was Brock's home, and Gary said that Ash was in surgery, so there was nothing for him to do but find something to do. "Hey Gary! I have an idea, let's get some stuff for Misty at the Charmander's Broiled Burgers, they used to be pretty good, then we can go to the gym, and you could give me tips on battling. The Pewter Gym has been closed for a while."  
  
Gary glanced over at Brock and grinned, "Well, yeah, okay, but I haven't gotten my Boulder Badge yet, I just skipped your gym on my way to Cerulean City, so first I have to battle you!" After they dropped their stuff off at the gym, Gary kicked at a pebble and followed Brock to Charmander's Broiled Burgers, where they went in and sat down.  
  
They noticed that they were the only ones there, save the staff and two customers, both girls, one about sixteen, one maybe fifteen, both with long, brown hair and green eyes. Gary and Brock ordered and sat down at their table. A waitress brought their burgers, and Gary tried to get her number, to show Brock how easy it was to get a girl's phone number, but the waitress said, "Buzz off, bozo! I plan on staying single."  
  
Brock grinned at Gary, "You were saying?"  
  
Gary coughed into his hand and looked around, then spotted the two girls sitting there. "I'll bet you fifty bucks that I can get the younger one to go out with me!"  
  
Brock grinned wider and said, "No way! I bet you that you can't! You get one hundred fifty bucks if you can, and I get the lessons without having to battle you if you can't plus you pay me two hundred bucks. I know the people around here, Gary, trust me, you won't get her out on a date! She doesn't date people she doesn't know! Her older sister's name is Sarah Kepling, and her younger sister is Miss Amanda Kepling." Brock's grin now changed to a smirk, since he knew that Amanda, or Mandie as she preferred being called, was one tough fighter, and she hated being called Miss Kepling. He had to go along with Gary to see how he fared.  
  
"Deal!" Gary slid out of the booth, and Brock followed him, with his container of fries, and walked five steps behind Gary. "Sarah Kepling, I believe your name is?" he said to the older girl, who he shook hands with. Sarah saw Brock's smirk and the twinkle in his eyes as he popped some fries into his mouth, and when Brock's eyes flitted to Mandie then back to Sarah, her suspicions were confirmed. She sat back to enjoy the show. "Miss Kepling," he said to Mandie, then opened his mouth to go further, but Mandie's fist struck him in the nose and bowled him over backwards. Mandie rocketed out of her chair and was on top of Gary, pummelling him with punches, while Brock, Sarah, and the entire staff, who were used to this sort of thing, were laughing, some holding their sides, watching the humorous spectacle of the Champion of Kanto League being defeated by a girl, a girl several inches shorter than Gary, too.  
  
The girl jumped up off of the Pokemon champion and rolled Gary over with a kick and said, "Never call me Miss Kepling, it will only get you hurt!" She kicked him again, and he rolled until he hit the side of the booth where he and Brock had been sitting before he had gotten up.  
  
Brock followed, still laughing and munching on french fires, and said, "Two hundred bucks and free training sessions, I believe. You agreed before hand that if I won the little bet, that was the deal." Gary glared at Brock and handed him the money. "Don't say I didn't warn you Gary, I know the people in this town. This is a quiet town, and I've heard that in recent years, it's become quieter than Pallet Town ever since you and Ash left it, so I think I still know most of the people in this town. I told you that you couldn't get Mandie on a date. Tried to warn you. Well, not really, but I still knew."  
  
Gary glared at Mandie, "I am not getting beaten by some whip of a girl, so here is what we will do. In the gym, five hours from now, we will have a fight. Winner gets all of the losers money, and the winner gets the loser as a servant. I only lost here because I was taken by surprise."  
  
Mandie smirked, "You got it, but I can take on any guy I want, except maybe Bruno of the Elite Four or possibly the Fighting Dojo, anytime, any place, and come out victorious, so don't count on getting let off easy...Kid." Mandie said the last remark in a stinging kind of way, and Gary noticed, and grew angry.  
  
"Mandie," Brock said, "Wanna go out on a date with me?"  
  
Mandie grinned, "You mean, you left the town for several years, but now, suddenly, you want a date with the infamous Mandie Kepling. I remember that when my sister beat you, I was there, hanging around, and you asked her out on a date. You mean that you want to have a date with me? YOU WANT TO GO ON A DATE WITH ME???"  
  
Brock swallowed, wondering what was going on, and squeaked out, "Yes?"  
  
Mandie grinned from ear to ear, "Okay. How about after I beat Gary I can set him out trimming the grass around my place while we go to a movie."  
  
Brock forced a smile on his face. It was hard sometimes to keep up with either of the Kepling sister's mood swings. Plus they just liked having fun teasing people. "Well, uh, how about you pick us up at the hospital, room 216. I have a friend there, and she-"  
  
Sarah spoke up suddenly, "She? So you have another girlfriend?"  
  
Brock smiled weakly and replied, "Uh...no. She is Misty Waterflower, one of the Cerulean City Gym Leaders. She actually likes a kid that got stung by a Beedrill. All three stingers."  
  
Sarah's mouth dropped open and she covered her mouth with her hand, "Brock, I'm so sorry, is this that Ash Ketchum, the boy that you've been telling us all about in your letters and we hear about all the time in the news?"  
  
Brock looked dow nat the ground, andsaid, "Well, yeah, he is. Anyway, I've gotta get some burgers to Misty, so I'll meet you there at seven, okay Mandie? that will give you some time to clean up after your battle."  
  
Sarah guffawed, "Brock, you sure haven't been around here for a while! She isn't the 'I wanna be a proper lady like my older sister' anymore! She's a tomboy! I mean it! She likes getting dirty, and she hates taking baths. In fact, she only took a bath today because-MMPPHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!" Mandie clamped her hand over her sister's mouth and glared at her.  
  
"He doesn't need to know why I took a bath!" She took her hand slowly off of her sister's mouth.  
  
"SHE LIKES YOU!!!!" Sarah shouted, and ducked away from the blow that came from Mandie.  
  
Brock chuckled and picked up the bag that contained Misty's food, dragged Gary out of the booth and out the door. Brock looked eagerly at his gym. The one that he had fixed since it had fallen into disrepair ever since the last gym leader, a very old man who had died at the age of ninety nine in the middle of a battle. Brock had fixed everything up, and the city had named him the Gym Leader.  
  
Brock smiled and pushed open the door to the hospital,and Gary hobbled along after him. A nurse came up and asked, "What happened to him?"   
  
Brock grinned at her and said, "Miss Amanda Kepling!" the nurse laughed and spread the word to the waiting patients and the nurses, and soon they were all laughing at Gary, and Brock quickened his steps as he heard Gary catching up with him. Brock glanced at his watch. Ten minutes late. If he knew Misty, that temper of hers would be going full blast. He knocked on the door, "Room service," and stepped to the side of the door opposite the side where it would open, and opposite from Gary as well. Gary was grinning weakly and speeding up, then, suddenly, Misty banged the door open and Gary, still accelerating, slammed into the door and fell over backwards.  
  
Misty glared at Brock and said, "Where is Gary? and why are you late?" she snatched her food, and, without waiting for an explanation, stalked back to Ash's bedside.  
  
Brock followed her, and said, "You hit Gary with the door, and the reason we're late is because Gary had a fight, I got a date-"  
  
Misty screamed in excitement like only girls can, and squealed, "YOU got a date? I mean, I heard you, but YOU got a date??? OH! this is so exciting!"  
  
Brock grinned, "You wouldn't think so if you knew who it was and who she has become. It's Mandie Kepling."  
  
Misty stiffened and muttered, "You got a date with a dork, isn't that convenient."  
  
Brock, suddenly confused, asked, "Huh? what's wrong with her?"  
  
Misty rolled her eyes and said, "Brock, you should know why, if you live here. She always have to get her way, has to get the best of everything, and besides, she beat my sisters in a beauty contest and me in an art contest, THEN in a fishing contest! Little Miss Perfect...Hmph!"  
  
Brock grinned, "I don't think you need to worry about her winning any beauty contests anymore, her sister maybe, but not her!"  
  
Misty's face suddenly looked hopeful, "You mean she has a faceload of zits?"  
  
Brock laughed, "No! She's a tomboy now!!!"  
  
Misty grinned and took burger out of its wrapper and began eating, still glowering at Brock, "Yeah, yeah...I'll believe it when I see it. Besides, she can still beat me in fishing!"  
  
Gary came stumbling and said, "Man I hate that Mandie Kepling!" He was covered with huge bruises wherever Mandie's fists and kicks had landed.  
  
Brock grinned, "That's her artwork now, and besides, you'll meet her at seven when she picks me up."  
  
Ash added to the conversation, "You got a date, Brock? Good for you, I always knew you could." in a weak voice.  
  
Brock grinned at the wall, his feet up at the table, and his hands behind his head, imagining Mandie and said, "Yeah, Ash...I-Wait a minute...ASH? You're AWAKE???" Brock brought his feet back down to the ground with a crash and hit the button for a nurse.  
  
Ash grinned weakly and said, "No! I'm just talking in my sleep!"  
  
Brock matched the smile and jerked his thumb at Gary, "Wait till you see what the date dragged in!"  
  
Ash's eyes focused on Gary, then he grinned, "So...you were beaten by a girl...I wonder what happened to all your claims of being able to defeat anyone?"  
  
Gary glared at Ash, then sighed, saying, "Ash, listen, I came to-"  
  
"Sorry, people, but come back later, right now I need to check Ash Ketchum out, since he is awake. Please wait in the hall." A doctor said, striding past Gary to Ash.  
  
Gary pulled Misty out of the room, and Ash looked after her longingly, and opened his mouth as if to say something, but didn't manage to find the words to say anything. Pikachu rested by Ash's head and sighed, content just to be by its master and its master awake, getting better, and in one piece.  
  
Misty stared down at the ground, trying to hide the fact that she was crying, but Brock must have known somehow that she was, since he put his arm around her and ushered her over to a seat by the door.  
  
"Misty?" Misty raised her head to see Delia Ketchum, being ushered by Professor Oak towards a chair next to her, much like she had been ushered to her chair by Brock, "Misty, I am so sorry about this."  
  
Brock shifted uncomfortably and drew out an envelope, "Well, Mrs. Ketchum, Ash told me to give this to you next time that I saw you. It's his will, but I hope that he won't need it anytime soon since he woke up just now. He had it done right after he beat the Elite Four. he wanted to make sure that everyone knew what they were going to get if he died, and that there was going to be no confusion about his money or anything...he asked me to give it to you. I'm sorry it has to be under these circumstances, though."  
  
The doctor came out fo the room, looking grim, "mrs. Ketchum, good, you're here. I ened to speak to you privately, will you please come with me? I have something that Imust discuss with you."  
  
The gang exhanged glancs uneasily as Delia Ketchum left. This couldn't be good. They ALL knew what it meant when that happened in the movies. 


	4. The Death

The Doctor closed the door behind Delia Ketchum and blew out a breath, "Mrs. Ketchum, I'm afraid that you should prepare yourself for the worst. Do you want the bad news or the worse news first?"  
  
Delia looked up at him nervously, "What are you talking about? what happened to my baby?" she asked.  
  
The doctor sat down heavily into his chair, "You mean that they didn't tell you?" he asked incredulously. When Mrs. Ketchum shook her head, he sighed and said, "Well, you son was hit by all three stingers of a Beedrill. I would have given him one chance in a million to survive even this far if I had been there at the start, but now, he has about one in ten billion of ever fully recovering. If we had gotten to him sooner, then maybe we could have done something, but, as it is..." he trailed off. Looking up at the anxious mother in front of him, he said regretfully, "I'm sorry, Mrs. Ketchum, he is paralyzed from the legs down, and will be for the rest of his life. The poison, while most of it is out of his system, is making a comeback, and the best dosage we can give him would be like spitting into the wind. He will be dead in twenty four hours. I am sorry. But I thought that I should put everything on the line to make sure that you knew how serious the situation is." Rising, he bit his lip as the heart-broken mother began sobbing hysterically.  
  
"Guys," Brock said, "Let's try to have a little optimism here, okay! I mean, he is the best trainer I have EVER seen. There is no way that he can die now! I mean, look at it this way, he has defeated Team Rocket, the Elite Four, and most of the gyms in Kanto! He can-Mrs. Ketchum? What's wrong?" he interrupted himself a Ash's mother walked slowly along the hallway.  
  
Mrs. Ketchum ignored him and went straight to Misty and hugged her, sobbing hysterically. Brock caught Gary's eye, and both of them left the room. "Misty," Delia sobbed, "Ash is dying!"  
  
Misty stiffened, and felt tears spring to her eyes, "Are you sure?" she asked, "I mean, there has to be some antidote!"  
  
Delia looked up at her, "There IS no antidote, I'm sorry, Misty, I know that you loved him."  
  
Misty smiled through her tears, whcih were streaming down her face by now, "Was it that obvious?"  
  
Delia smiled again, the smile a sharp contrast to the pain that Misty could see in her eyes, "As clear as the nose on your face...And now I'll never see you get married!"  
  
Misty suddenly sat up. "I have an idea!" She quickly outlined her plan to Ash's mother, and asked, "Will you help me?"  
  
Delia smiled, "Misty, dear, if I have to move the entire universe, I'll help. now, let's go get the boys!"  
  
James looked unhappily at Jessie, "I don't like it," he said, then glanced over at Butch, "He only put one card back! Cassidy didn't put any back! how am I supposed to defeat them now? I have my entire life savings and Meowth on the line!"  
  
"I told ya not to be me!" the annoying cat-like creature burst out, "What did I tell ya? Bad luck to bet a Meowth in a Poker game! Did I tell ya's or did I tell ya's?"  
  
"Shut your mouth!" a commanding voice said from the door, "Before a Beedrill flies into it."  
  
Butch grinned, "Ohm, so the twerp got our little present?"  
  
Gary stepped forward into the light, "Those were YOUR Beedrills?"  
  
Cassidy laughed, "Yeah, it was pretty funny watching everyone get into a fuss!"  
  
Jessie suddenly spoke up, "What are you guys talking about?"  
  
Brock piped up, "They poisoned Ash, and now he is on his deathbed!"  
  
James looked at Butch and Cassidy in surprise, "We never joined Team Rocket so that others could do things like this."  
  
"Shut your mouth before a Beedrill gets YOU too!" Butch snarled.  
  
Jessie shot to her feet, "Why you little-"  
  
Brock coughed, "Jessie, James, Meowth, we need you. Butch, Cassidy, you are under arrest!"  
  
Cassidy sneered, "You and what army?"  
  
Suddenly, the back wall blew in and none other than Madie jumped through, her Pokemon, an Espeon, an Umbreon, an Evee, a Vaporeon, a Jolteon, and a Flareon followed her,who were followed in turn by fifteen Officer Jennies and their Arcanines. "Need we say more?" Gary asked, a triumphant smirk on his face.  
  
Mandie walked over to Brock and kissed him on the lips for a full thirty seconds, when she let Brock go, he said, "WOW!"  
  
Mandie grinned, "That's for bringing me on the best date I've ever had!"  
  
Butch and Cassidy scowled at them, and released a Drowzee, "Team Rocket will never fall! Drowzee! Teleport!"  
  
then Brock did something that was ether incredibly stupid, or incredibly brave, though Gary always suspected the latter. Brock rushed forward, tackling the two Rockets just before they would have dissapeared in a blinding flash of light.   
  
The Drowzee dissapeared, and the Officer Jennies rushed forward, and dragged them out of the room. Gary walked over to the door and waited for them. glancing back, he saw that Brock and Mandie were in the middle of a kiss. "Whoa! take it easy there!" he glanced away, then looked back at the two, "Get a room guys," he said, chuckling quietly to himself. Then they finally came up for air, then began their kiss again. Gary stared at them with wide eyes as they began to sink to the floor, "Oh! That's not right!" he exclaimed.  
  
At the hospital...  
  
Ash looked up at Misty and asked painfully, "Misty, do you really love me? I heard what you said in the helidopter, but..." He trailed off, and his face twisted with unspoken pain when he was even talking.  
  
Misty looekd up from where she had been cryinginto the sheets, "Yes, Ash, I do. You knwo that better than anyone else. I love you!"  
  
Ash's face relaxed from the tension that he always wore when she was around, "Then get rid of that stupid mallet!"  
  
Misty smiled through her tears, and put her head back into the sheets. she felt Pikachu jump up onto the bed next to her and her hand being lifted up. Suddenly, she felt a band of metal go over it, and she jerked her hand back, and looked at the ring that sat there. It was a gold ring that had a deep ocean blue color and was custom made, she saw to have Ash's face in it, and Pikachu on his shoulder. The sheer worksmanship and size of the stone took her breath away. Misty felt her other hand being closed over by Ash's, and he raised her head up so her overflowing eyes looked straight into his pain-filled ones, "Misty, I never thought that I would ask anyone this, well, maybe May," Misty looked at him strangely, and Ash grinned, "Ask Gary, but will you marry me?"  
  
Misty felt a strange feeling rush through her. At once she felt excited, yet scared; wonder-filled, yet confused. It was unlike anything that had ever happened to her before. But, without a moment's hesitation, she looked deep into those eyes of Ash's and said, "Ash, you mean more to me than you know. You were the glue cementing our group together. I love you, Ash, and that's enough of an answer."  
  
Ash smiled, "Alright then, get your Mom, Oak, and as many people from our journeys as possible. I don't have much time."  
  
Suddenly, Misty was reminded again of the stark reality that Ash would die less than fifteen hours after they got married. A single doubt arose, and with it, many others came flooding up. Then one thought smothered them all. The thought of Ash in his younger days. When he had been so naive, so young, and not at all a good trainer. She had been there, even when Brock had left. And so she was going to stay by him to the end. No matter what. It was her duty as his fiance. He had asked, and she had accepted.  
  
The wedding was small, even for one as famous as Ash Ketchum. Mrs. Ketchum became Mrs. Oak hat day, and Brock married Mandie in a triple wedding. There were few guests, only Gary, Sandra (Mandie's sister), an Officer Jenny (who also presided over the ceremony), the local Nurse Joy, several Nurse Jane's, Jessie, James, Meowth, and a few Doctor John's. After the ceremony was over, all but Misty left the room, leaving one of the new couples together for their last moments together.  
  
"Mishty," Ash began, the poison making him begin to slur, "I am shorry for not giving you a bkie shooner, but shoon, y-you'lkl have one! It'shall takencare of. don't you loshe shleep over it. Msity-" he swallowed hard, trying to get the strength up to speak, "I-I'm shorry for the bike. Pikachu needed to be healed. I'm shorry for calling you shcrawny. I'm shorry for getting into your life at all, sho you would have to experience thish."  
  
Misty gripped his hand hard, and flethis grip weaking quickly, "Ash! No! You can't die! It's all right! Everything! Who cares abot the stupid bike? I needed the exercise, anyway! Don't you see how many people you've touched with your kindness?"  
  
Ash struggled, and Misty wondered why,and he looked straight into her eyes, and said, "Thank you, Misty, it means a lot to me," as clearly as if he had been before the stings. "Ish it shupposhed to hurt thish much?" he goraned, tossing this way adn that, then, his hand, that had been clasped tightly in hers, went limp, and he stopped breathing.   
  
"Ash? ASH? ASH WAKE UP!" Misty said, shaking him, "Ash! come on! We're married now! We have to have our happily ever after!"  
  
Misty felt a hand on her shoulder, and she leaned against it, crying, "He was a good guy, Misty, better than I was. I'm just privileged to have been his best friend, even if it were only once, long, long ago. I'm sorry about this Misty. I know how much he meant to you. But you have no idea how much of a blow this is to me." Gary pulled up a chair, and they began crying their eyes out together, and were soon joined by Delia Ketchum.  
  
Outside the door, emergency response personnel began appearing, but the Doctor John kept them back, "That kid's heart is so eaten up by the poison, it would be a miracle to get it working again. Besides," he said, turning to the window, "It would be hell to come alive again after enduring so much pain, only having to endure more pain." 


	5. The Awakening

All right, this is the last chapter, and all will be revealed...I like surprise endings...I hope that this is enough of one for you. Thank you everyone that reviewed. I enjoyed making this.  
  
Playmer, this is the FINAL chapter...and, yes, I did kill him, but, well, just read all of it before you make a judgement.  
  
ssykes4000, this is my update. Thanks for thinking it's that good...:)  
  
Well folks, enough babbling to my reviewers (though they did like my story), and ON TO THE STORY!  
  
__________________________________________________________________________________________________  
  
If the Ash Ketchum/Oak wedding was small, then the funeral for Ash Ketchum, Pokemon Master, was one of the biggest in all of Kanto's history. Professors Ivy and Elm, Tracey Sketchit, Lance, Agatha, Lorielei, Bruno, AJ, and the rest of the gym leaders from around Kanto, and many trainers and others who had been touched by his Pokemon journey-from the most remote sightseer to the toughest battler was there, or were watching with the overflow outside Indigo Hall where huge projection screens had been set up.  
  
Misty gave the eulogy, and the audience was in tears as she finished. Among the many things she described were his life as she knew it. She drew some laughs when she told how she met Ash, how dense he was, how she always pounded him with her mallet, and even more laughs when she pulled it out and hit Gary on the head with it after Gary butted in and told a very bad joke. But she drew tears as she told of his heroics, blasting Team Rocket off time and time again, and his last act of heroism-saving her from the Beedrills.  
  
Suddenly the doors in the back boomed open, "Prepare for trouble!" rang out a young female voice, and several guys in the audience had hearts in their eyes as a figure stepped through the door, wearing a leather coat and pants, along with sunglasses.  
  
"And make it double!" a male figure dressed in leather and wearing sunglasses said, entering the room with a smirk. Several of the girls now stared at this new figure, but figured rightly that these two were together.  
  
"To protect the world from Rocket tyranny!" the female yelled out again, ripping off her shades and the hat that had been holding back her flowing red hair.  
  
"To all peoples-whether tall or mini!" the guy yelled back, louder than the girl, if that was possible.  
  
"Jessie!" the girl yelled out, punching the air with her fist.  
  
"JAMES!" the boy yelled, slipping out two roses from each of his sleeves into his hands and tossed them into the audience. There was a stampede as the girls in the audience ran for the roses that dropped from James' outstretched hand.  
  
Jessie merely glared at James. "Team Rocket's going down at the speed of light!" she grinned at the people that were assembled for Ash's funeral, and blew a kiss at one of the guys. Now it waas James' turn to glare at her.  
  
James whipped off his shades and "It's their fault that it's come to a fight!"  
  
Suddenly a feline figure leaped between the two and tried to come to a stop on the marble floor, but only succeeded in leaving long scratch marks and making a sound equivalent of kids dragging their fingernails down a chalkboard, "MEEEEEEEEOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWTH!" the feline screeched, and hit a statue of one of the previous Indigo League champions. "Dat's right!" it finished the motto in a dazed sort of tone, before falling over, barely conscious. "Hi mom! I'm on da TV now!" it said as it got shakily to its feet, before losing its traction and again falling onto the floor.  
  
Then a female Meowth walked through the door, with a cat-sized leather jacket and sporting shades, "Meowth, whenever are you gonna learn?" it asked, "You have to USE the floor instead of playing on it!"  
  
"Hey, honey, I'm not trying to play on it!! Okay? I was just tryin' to do what I normally do!" Meowth protested, falling down again, and getting shakily to its feet, and didn't fall down.  
  
The Meowth giggled, "Seems to me you just did." and glided across the marble floor.  
  
"And that's the Team Rocket, that I was telling you about, Ladies and gentlemen, but did I tell you that they're putting together a Pokemon band? They're the singers, the two Meowths are the guitarists, and they're looking for Pokemon to help play with 'em!" Misty called out from the front of the room.  
  
Suddenly the room burst into applause, and James and Jessie merely blushed and scuffed at the floor with their boots, while Meowth slid across the floor into the wall behind them, screaming something no one could hear.  
  
**********************************************************************************************  
  
"Misty," Ash said to her, "I love you! Will you marry me?" Before she could answer, his face became wrinkled, and he withered away before her eyes, to what he had been just before he died. Misty woke up screaming, for the fifth time that night.  
  
Later that night, Misty lay awake in bed, trying not to think about Ash being gone. Suddenly, there was a flash of light from beside her bed, and when she looked up, there was a Celebi hanging in midair. Misty sat straight up, an unspoken scream on her lips, as she saw the Mewtwo behind Celebi.  
  
"Dear, it's okay." a soft, soothing voice said to her. She looked fearfully to her left, and saw that Mew was sitting on her bed. "We-Mewtwo and I-called Celebi here to help you with your pain..."  
  
Misty swallowed and looked at Mewtwo.  
  
"But why should I trust you?" Gary asked Mewtwo, "From what I heard, you nearly killed my good friend Ash."  
  
Mewtwo sighed, "Brock, I know that this is hard for you, it's hard for me too. Celebi is here to show you what might have been if this hadn't happened, and maybe it will help you with your pain in losing Ash."  
  
Misty swallowed hard, "But why should I trust you? Can you give me a reason that I should trust you?"  
  
Mewtwo smiled softly, "No, you'll have to trust me."  
  
"Gary, please trust me!" Mew said in her soft voice, "Please trust me on this!"  
  
Misty took a deep breath, "Alright, I'm not sure if I trust you, Mewtwo, but I trust Mew, so, Celebi, show me what you want to."  
  
Suddenly Celebi rose up and opened a door in the space-time continuum, and Misty, Brock, and Gary, though miles apart, were all brought to the same place. and hovering above them was Celebi, their guide through time.  
  
All three had a feeling of being refreshed. For Gary, it felt like it had when he had beaten Ash for the Indigo League Championship, for Misty, it was like the feelign she got when Ash told her that he loved her, and for Brock...it's best leaving well enough alone.  
  
They all had the strange sensation of flying, and they followed Celebi as he flew towards a beuatiful tapestry. As they got closer, they began to see the individual threads, and then saw scenes moving through them quickly. It was as if they could see the entire world in just a small point of thread.  
  
Celebi flew along, then selected one thread for them. The three humans noticed Mew and Mewtwo waiting for them near it.  
  
"We must cloak you," Mew said, "Or else you will disrupt the space-time continuum, and all will become nothing, and time will be no more."  
  
The three agreed, and suddenly, just like that, they were invisible to all but themselves. Celebi flew along, and pointed at Mewtwo and Brock at one point, Gary and Mew at another point, and motioned for Misty to follow him at another.  
  
Misty touched the thread, and suddenly she and Celebi were at Cinnabar Island, hovering over an older version of herself and Ash. Ash was riding his Lapras, and laughing as Misty's Golduck splashed him as she past him. the hovering Misty smiled as Ash called out his Bulbasaur and vine-whipped her Golduck, then sped past Misty, sputtering, and her Golduck, who looked pretty upset.  
  
Ash reached the beach,and turned around, crowing, "I WON!!!! I WON!!! I BEAT A WATERFLOWER IN A SWIMMING CONTEST!"  
  
when the older Misty reached the beeach, she dug around in her bag and pulled out her trusty mallet, and pounded Ash with it.   
  
"This is all the time that I can allow you," Celebi said softly, "But may it ease your suffering in the time to come." Celebi opened a portal, and the two of them went through it.  
  
Misty sat up straight in bed, and looked around, a strangely peaceful feeling inside of her. She was in Ash's house, she knew that much, but where was she?  
  
She walked down the stairs, wrapped up in a robe, and saw a light peeking under a door. With a sharp intake of breath she realized it was Ash's room. Pushing open the door, she saw Ash there, sitting at his desk like he always did when he was home, but this time he wasn't studying his Pokedex, he had apparently just finished making something.  
  
Misty suddenly burst into tears, she must be dreaming. "Mist?" Ash asked, looking up and seeing her in the doorway, "What's wrong? Did you have that dream again?"  
  
And with those words, Misty remembered that the beach scene that she had seen with Celebi wasn't an alternative reality-it was a memory. Misty nodded her head, "Yes, Ash, I had the dream again. I'm sorry for barging in on you, Ash, I know that you like your privacy."  
  
Ash swallowed hard and scratched the back of his head. "Ah, yeah, I do, but Mist, I'm glad you came in when you did. I need to tell you something."  
  
Misty looked at him curiously, "What is it?"  
  
Ash blew out a deep breath and shut the door. "Shut your eyes," he commanded.   
  
Misty flicked her gaze over to Pikachu, who was smirking at her, then followed Ash's instructions. She could hear him moving around, doing what where she couldn't tell.  
  
Suddenly something cold went around her finger, and she gasped. Her eyes flew open, and there was Ash, kneeling in front of her, "Misty, I've wanted to do this for a long time, now, but this is the first time that I've managed to keep up my courage to do it. Misty, you're my oldest friend, except for Gary, really, and, Mist, will you marry me?"  
  
Misty smiled through her tears of joy as she looked down at her hand, and, on her finger, was the exact same ring that was in her dreams, "No Beedrills this time?"  
  
Ash looked up at her, "Huh? Nothing of yours got stolen by Beedrills, It was MY Metapod that was stolen by them!"  
  
Misty glared down at him, "Oh sure! Always thinking about your Pokemon, aren't you! You never think about anyone else."  
  
Ash recoiled as if shot, and then mumbled, "So I guess that means no."  
  
Misty felt as if someone had stabbed her through her heart, and put a hand on Ash's shoulder as he turned around, "Ash," she said softly, "I would be honored if I could marry you, as long as we could argue and still be friends."  
  
Ash whirled around and hugged her, "You've got a deal, Misty, You've got a deal."  
  
Outside hte window, four figures watched, all clothed in leather, and wearing ski masks. "You idiots!" A Meowth complained, "You strapped me ta you's back, and now I can't see!"  
  
"That's the point, right Brock?" Gary asked.  
  
"Yup, that's the whole point," James said.  
  
"Are you Brock?" Jessie asked, "Last time I checked, Mr. I Wanna Date was Brock."  
  
"Hey! That was mean!" James shouted, "We're ALL friends!"  
  
Suddenly there was the sound of a window sliding up, and James, Jessie, Brock, and Gary, hanging on ropes hanging from the ceiling, looked sheepishly at Ash and Misty. "Think of somethin' ta say!" Meowth hissed at James.  
  
"Uh...Acme Window Washers! We sell ski masks on the side!" James blurted out.  
  
Ash laughed and said, "Come on in through the front door, guys and girl, We're gonna have a party tonight!"  
  
"What's the occasion, Ashy boy?" Gary asked.  
  
Ash grinned, "I finally beat you in something, Gary. I'm engaged!"  
  
"to who?" Jessie and James asked together.  
  
Meowth whapped both of them with his paws, "Whod'ya think?"  
  
"Uh...Jessie?" James asked.  
  
Everyone but the two Rockets burst out laughing, and Jessie blushed.  
  
***  
  
Misty sat up in bed, tears streaming down her face. how would she ever get over Ash's death? Even here, in Ash's home, she couldn't get him out of her mind. She stepped out of bed and walked to her vanity. Her hair was a mess-her eyes looked cried out. She picked up the ring with the dolphin on it and closed her fist around it.  
  
misty looked around her room, and saw Pikachu and Togepi sleeping next to each other. She smiled sadly to herself, and walked through the front door, looking at Delia's spotless kitchen.  
  
She walked out the door, and looked around Pallet Town, taking in the sights and smells of a Pallet Town evening.  
  
Turning her face southward, she walked until she reached the piers, and walked out on the longest one. Still fighting back tears, she sat down, dangling her feet over the edge, and looked up at the vast expanse of stars. She looked up, eyes moving back and forth, until she found the star that she had wanted. Her star...the one Ash had named for her, according to his will.  
  
Then, she noticed that it was just inside a constellation shaped like an "M." She burst into tears anew, and put her head down. It was hours before she raised her head back up, and, in that brief moment before dark and dawn, she thought she saw her star, and the star he had pointed out to her as his favorite, right beside her star, and for a fleeting moment, they twinkled in time, as if Ash was reaching across time and space to tell her that he still loved her.  
  
____________________________________________________________________________________________  
  
confused? don't be. This is kind of a trans-dimensional fic, though the Misty of the one ending doesn't know in another lifetime what she thought was her dream actually happened. Who knows if this happens in real life. We'll never know.  
  
I've enjoyed working on this fic. If anyone wants me to write a sequel, put your ideas in a review, and I'll consider it. also, if you want a prequel...once again, write it in the review...:)   
  
hmm...a sequel...maybe a trans-dimensional rift where the Misty of the "dream" dimension switches with the other Misty...now there's an idea...anyone want to give me ideas? 


	6. Author's Note Preview

You guys have been very patient and haven't made any demands for a sequel to this. Well...you're getting one. :D

I thought I'd post the preview here so that you'd all enjoy it...and review this some more demanding that I put it up as soon as possible.

July 4 is the release date for Chapter 1. Unfortunately, that's all Iv've got written so far. So...no promises for Chapter 2.

Anyway...without further ado. The Preview for What If...'s Sequel.

11111111111111

She thought he was dead...

A scene of Misty crying rolls past the screen

They thought that he didn't care...

A scene of Misty and Brock kissing flashes by

But they knew the truth.

An angry band of Pokemon trainers can be seen, rushing the camera

They knew he was the greatest evil the world had ever seen.

The camera pans across a lab where several Celebi can be seen, restrained in tanks

From the mastermind that brought you such masterpieces as Fishing Opener and Hell Hath no Fury: An Ice Queen's Saga, What If...'s sequel unfolds.

The camera catches Ash as he pushes a button, and a turquoise portal opens in front of him

In a thrilling story of parallel universes and romance...

Ash steps through the portal, to meet himself on the other side in a field, with Misty and Brock in the background, Misty's hand on Brock's shoulder

If you read only one fic this summer...

The portal closes behind the first Ash, who is glaring at Misty and Brock

Make it this one.

Ash is tied up in a room somewhere, and he tried to free himself

"They'll pay," he says, glaring into the camera. "Just let them wait and see."

hundreds of trainers rushing towards Ash across a plain. Ash grins, throws two Pokeballs out in front of him. Out of them come Lugia and Ho-oh

"It's time to die." he says coldly.

The Wrath of Ketchum.

Coming to this summer to 


End file.
